House as musical instrument

Designed for two musicians, a symphony conductor and an award-winning oboist, House of Music is a six-story family home in the Shilin district of Taipei. The design concept places the music room, called the Music Box, as the central organizational element of the house. The Music Box is a place for making music, whereas the concrete tower structure of the house becomes a “reverberation chamber,” allowing the couple’s musical synergy to float throughout the house across different floors and during separate activities. The design concept expresses the clients’ belief that the act of music should not be hidden behind sound proofed doors but should be immersive into everyday living activities. The house thus becomes a spatial musical instrument, where one can appreciate music in any corner of the house, whether cooking, eating, sitting or sleeping.

The Music Box on the third floor sits in the middle of the five story house, a vertical sound and light channel that links the living areas below and the bedrooms above, and has auditorium-style seating to accommodate both formal recitals and impromptu gatherings. The Music Box is built from 400 walnut angled panels, 150 of which are operable, forming a porous screen system to the living areas, bedrooms and bathrooms. Sections of this screen system can be opened or closed independently, thereby allowing sounds from the Music Box to be “tuned” in and out depending on spatial use and occasion. The exterior design is inspired by musical notations, with windows dancing like black notes on the horizontal line patterns cast into the concrete. The windows defy the convention of following the sizes and functions of the spaces behind, they are intentionally non-hierarchical and are placed to express rhythm and musicality on the building exterior. Throughout the interior, the use of brass, cork and other materials commonly found in musical instruments further enhances the concept of the house as a musical instrument. The wine cellar in the basement with a generous capacity of 1,500 bottles is inspired by red wine swirling freely in a glass, its organic form in bold purple marry the client’s favorite color with his passion for wine.

The House of Music tells the musicians’ story from the inside out, a story that connects their past, their work, their hobbies, their family, and their future.

Project data

Location: Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Program Function: Residential
Architecture Design: XRANGE Architects

Site Area: 150 m²
Floor Area: 250 m²
No. of Floors: 6 floors on the ground
Design: 2006- 2007
Construction: 2009- 2011

Consultant

Structural Engineers: Neutral Engineering Consultants

Construction

Construction Co.: Fuguach Architecture, Kuoyoa Construction Company
Electrical & Plumbing Engineering: Wantai Industrial Technician Office

Photography

Kuo-Min Lee